Moral and Political Works

whether they do it for the pleasure they take in it, like poets; or for their own private interest, like merchants; or for the love of the lie itself. As for me, I do not know what opinion to have of it. All that I can say is that their pretended Truth is but a false light, which reveals neither the deceits nor the disguises of this world half as well as masquerades reveal themselves by the brightness of torches. It is also possible that it is comparable to a pearl, which never appears better than in full daylight; and which, nevertheless, equals neither the carbuncle nor the diamond, whose brilliance doubles by the light of the smallest lamps. Thus, pleasure is always increased by a mixture of artifice, fables, and lies. If it were possible to tear from the hearts of men their vain opinions, their flattering